A Visit from Santa
by geektime66
Summary: The Scully-Mulder family discusses belief in Santa Clause.


"Listen Scully, all I'm saying is that the existence of Santa Clause cannot be fully disproven."

"Mulder I honestly can't believe we are even having this discussion." Scully dried her hands on a dishtowel and turned toward him. Mulder put his hands on the counter on either side of her, trapping her.

"Now I don't think he exists in the way that most stories say he does just that there is some kind of-uh- unique being that in it exists the spirit of Christmas!" Mulder waved a hand around wildly as he shared this theory.

"Mulder it's a children's story used to get kids to behave."  
"Scully just think about it: there is a Santa Clause type myth in almost every culture around the globe! That has to come from somewhere!"  
"Yes it does! People's imaginations!"

The door banging open loudly interrupted their argument and the sound of two children running and yelling filled the house.

"Mom! Mom! Grandma let us stop for special hot chocolate!" Emily came around the corner proudly holding up a styrofoam cup as proof. Her brother who carried an identical cup and was just as excited followed her.

"Mom I got the kind with whipped cream, sprinkles, and marshmallows!" William exclaimed.

"Mine has peppermint in it!" Emily said.  
Scully went to them and kissed each of their windblown faces, "Sounds like grandma wants to keep you up all night."

Maggie Scully came in the door behind the children weighed down by bags, "They were very good today Dana."  
"Well that's good to hear." Mulder said as William tried to climb him. Scully quickly took the cup out of William's hand to prevent spilling. As soon as the cup was on the counter Mulder grabbed him up with a growl and flung him over his shoulder.  
"The thing is Maggie I'm not sure I believe these little devils could behave." William screamed in delight and tried to squirm out of Mulder's arms. Emily began to attack Mulder to save her brother and Scully once again had to take her hot chocolate to keep an accident from happening. Emily hung from Mulder's arm filled with giggles and the Scully women just watched with a smile.

"They knew to be good since it's only a few days till Santa gets here!" Maggie said sweetly.

"Well I expect that all these two will get is a bunch of coal!" Mulder said tickling Emily's side as he flung her over his other shoulder.

"No! We were good!" Emily shouted.  
"Yeah we were good!" William echoed.

"Alright you angles go get ready for dinner." Scully said swapping at Williams bottom.

"Let's go!" Mulder said in a rough voice and carried them away.

The women watched them go with a wide smile and Scully turned to her mother.

"Mom you want to stay for dinner?" She asked.

"No dear I want to get on the road before it gets too dark. The children picked out presents for each other and for you and Fox. They want to wrap the presents themselves so I bought them some wrapping paper." Maggie squeezed Scully's arm and kissed her cheek.

"Bye mom thanks for taking them out."

"I always love spending time with those two. I'll see you on Christmas sweetheart."

Maggie took her purse and yelled goodbye to the kids and to Mulder and took off.

Scully could hear the three of them upstairs making a racket. She shook her head and went to retrieve dinner from the oven.

"Daddy how can Santa eat so many cookies in one night? Wouldn't he get a tummy ache?" William asked as Mulder helped him wash his hands.

"Santa is magical, Will, he can eat millions of cookies and still have room for more."  
"Dad, have you ever seen Santa Clause?" Emily asked from her side of the sink.

Mulder nodded, "I have. I'm good friends with Ol' St. Nick."  
Both of their eyes widened in excitement.

"Can we meet him?" Emily asked jumping up and down, spraying water all over the place. Mulder turned off the tap and handed the children towels to dry off.

"You did meet him, at the mall last week."  
Emily shook her head solemnly, "No that was one of Santa's helpers they look a lot like him but Santa is too busy right now to go and visit malls. He has a lot to do."  
Mulder nodded along, "Of course. Well I don't know maybe some day you can meet Santa if you are extra good."

After eating a dinner of lasagna and some ice cream they began the normal bedtime ritual that was always a battle. Mulder and Scully did rock paper scissors to determine who had to get the kids ready for bed and who had to clean up. Scully drew the short straw and made her way up to the screaming children upstairs.

They were both in Emily's room, William brandishing a light saber and running around in a towel cape while Emily jumped up and down on the bed yelling 'Luke I am your father.'

Scully sighed, "Ok guys time to get ready for bed. Who brushed their teeth?"  
Emily raised her hand as she continued to bounce.

"Will?" Scully asked.

"No. I wanted to finish my game."

"Well it's bedtime now so we can save it for tomorrow. Emily clean up your room before I get back."

She walked the young William to the bathroom and helped him up on a stool. As she prepared his toothbrush William was, as usual, full of questions.  
"Daddy says he knows Santa Clause. Do you know him too?" William asked looking up at her with big hazel eyes.

Scully gave a small hum, "Yeah I've met Santa."

"Daddy says he's good friends with Santa. Are you?"

"No but I've met him."

"Mommy don't the reindeers get tired going around the world?"

"Um I suppose so Will. But they are magic flying reindeer so they can probably handle it."  
"Mom do you believe in Santa?" Emily said standing at the bathroom door.

"Did you clean your room Em?" Scully said buying time.

Emily nodded.

"I believe that Santa is a wonderful… Yeah I believe in Santa Clause." Scully, unlike Mulder, did not like out right lying to the children but also wanted at least a couple more years of them believing so she decided to lie for the sake of Christmas.

After William finished with his teeth she ushered the kids into William's bedroom to read them their nightly story.  
A few years ago Mrs. Scully gave her daughter a book called 'A Story a Day Till Christmas'. The book was filled with 25 short Christmas stories that Scully read to the kids each night. That night the story was 'Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Clause.'

Scully began the story by reading the letter that was written in 1897 by an 8-year-old little girl.

She began to embellish her voice when she got to her favorite part and the kids giggled,

"Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy."

As she read Mulder watched quietly from the doorway smiling. Scully loved reading to the kids. She always did little voices and made them laugh and Mulder loved to watch.

The kids were enraptured as she read the last line from the letter, "No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood."

Mulder walked into the room and scooped Emily up in his arms to take her to her own room. Before he whisked her away Scully kissed her cheek, "Goodnight sweetheart."

Emily looked at her sleepily, "Goodnight mommy."

Mulder tucked the little girl into her Star Wars themed room and kissed her forehead, "Goodnight peanut."

"Dad, is Santa Clause real?" Her blue eyes burned into him and he smoothed back her hair.

"Of course he's real. You heard that letter. Santa is the spirit of Christmas. Now get some sleep. I hear it's supposed to snow some more tonight we might get a snow day."  
She gave him a thousand watt smile, "Goodnight dad."

Mulder said goodnight to a half conscious William and went to the bedroom he shared with Scully.

"Hey FBI woman." He said sliding arms around her waist from behind and lightly kissing her neck, "I liked your reading tonight. It sounds like someone just might believe after all."

Scully laughed, "Mulder please-"  
She was cut off by a thump on the roof followed a minute later by a small sound in the living room. They both looked up and then looked at each other. Mulder silently went to the top of their closet where they kept two registered firearms in a safe. Once armed, they went downstairs. Mulder slowly turned on the lights and they were prepared for anything except for what they found which was a small silver wrapped present sitting on the coffee table with a note attached.  
After giving a good look around and double-checking the doors they approached the package with caution. A note was attached to the top and Scully delicately pulled it off.

Inside the small card was a note: _'Dear Dana, I know that it's not Christmas yet but I made this just for you. -SC'_

Scully looked at Mulder with a quirked eyebrow but he shrugged in confusion.

"Should I open it?" She asked.  
"Might as well. I mean we haven't had threats in a while. Maybe your mom left it for you."  
"But I didn't see it before."  
"Maybe you just missed it."  
Scully tore gently at the pretty paper that uncovered a beautiful lacquered jewelry box with an inscription written on the lid: _'"Let faith oust fact; let fancy oust memory; I look deep down and do believe."_

Above the quote was an intricate drawing of a whale.

Scully took in a sharp breath, "Moby Dick."

Mulder took the box in his hands and looked it over before opening it. The inside was covered with velvet but empty. It was a beautiful hand made piece of work.

"Scully I think I know who this is from."

"Mulder don't even say it."

"You don't know what I'm going to say."

"If you say Santa Clause I swear to god…"

"It was Santa Clause."  
Scully let out a long suffering sigh, "Mulder you are a child. It's beautiful but you could have just given it to me on Christmas like a normal person."  
"Scully I swear this is not from me."

He looked genuine but Scully was not ready to attribute the mysterious gift to a mythical being.

Mulder put down the box and headed toward the door. He unlocked it, slipped on his shoes, and walked out on to the yard.  
"Scully." He called from outside.  
Scully sighed again but followed him out into the cold. A gentle snow had started and there was a light dusting surrounding them.

Mulder pointed up to the roof, "Check that out."

Scully looked up at the roof and there, clear as day in the small dusting of snow, were hoof prints.


End file.
